GOTG 2015 - Grand Final - March 2015

2015 Grand Final Winner - Jennifer Walker

Jennifer Walker is a British/Hungarian living in Budapest since August 2013 (although it's kind of a cheat cause she also grew up in Hungary). She's an ex-nuclear physicist who threw caution to the wind after finishing her doctorate in Madrid, Spain, and now works as a culture and travel journalist who works for the Budapest Times, and has published at CNN, Slate, Huffington Post. She has lived in the UK, Germany, Spain, Georgia and now returned to Budapest to return to her Hungarian roots. In her double life she writes fiction, dabbles in burlesque dancing, travels of offbeat places and chases surrealist art and art nouveau architecture.

Sacrificial Speaker - Patrick McCullough

Though some may remember Patrick for his film and acting career, other less shallow citizens will wish to know what is it that makes Patrick tick and tock.  Let’s just say there was a period of 3 years in Patrick’s youth, where he was the resident Alpaca whisperer on the Greek Island of Andros.  Since this particular herd of Alpacas was designated to be house trained for American clients, he was the one who was hired to train the Alpacas (we don’t think it was significant that he was the only American on the Island at the time).  Despite the obvious lessons in Spitting, Self Protection and Hygiene, he found that what has really influenced his life to this day is the calmness, the centeredness, of a humming Alpaca.  Hums are used by the Alpaca to let other Alpacas in the herd know that they are well.  By using this hum himself, even at times where life has its hardships and stresses, Patrick believes he is a better person for it, and those closest to me, be they Alpacas or humans, are ever appreciative.

Finalists

After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in Ireland, Gerard Lucey decided to escape auditing and took up a two-year assignment in Hungary. That was 1996, and he's still here. Gerard is married to Szilvia and they have three Irish-Hungarian sons, so he is kept busy at home when not counting beans at work, or running around being the President of the IHBC. A native of Dublin, Gerard also has a bit of Cork in him – so surely the Blarney effect is there in the blood somewhere.

Film-maker, photographer, musician...chartered accountant. Part man, part renaissance chameleon, Steve Collison is back for a second shot at Gift of the Gab: this time with more than a day's notice. Hailing from Surrey, but with Ireland in his blood and a Budapest veteran of five years, Steve will undoubtedly have a little something for everyone. Heckle at your peril, as Steve – our resident photographer – might just publish that 'bad' photo of you on the Speechslam website!

Miklós Morandini is almost out of university, and freshly introduced to the perils of a full time job. He is desperately trying not to become the average drone in a multinational company, since those are rarely any fun. Laughter, however, is very important, and he is here exactly for that. A returning speechslammer, an amateur actor, an avid videogamer, and full time idiot (in the good sense, mostly), he's also here to settle a score.

Dónal O'Neill been coming to Hungary since 1994, mainly to deliver management training to multinational companies  which were just setting up. He has  been living here, on a permanent basis since 2003. He works  as  a management trainer and executive coach  and in addition  teaches Business Skills  at IBS in Budapest.  He has his  own company and operates as a sole trader in the training  and communication  sector. Dónal is passionate about traditional Irish music, and story telling. He and his wife Saci play an active part in their local community in the third district.